Join Us

Cornerstone exists because of Jesus. We are a people who have been transformed by the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God has forgiven us and adopted us into his family. Now, we have a whole new life.

Through the gospel, God redeems us, forgives us, and adopts us into his family. The good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection makes each one of us a new creation and gives us a new identity: children of God. This is why we can never think of the church as an organization or a building. The church is actually a family—God’s family, filled with redeemed sinners that are now his children.

Through the gospel, God forgives us, adopts us into his family, and makes us his disciples. This means that the church is not just any family. We are a family formed by God—and sent out with a purpose.

The church is a family that ministers to one another, cares for one another, and builds one another up. Each member of the family is a child of God who is uniquely gifted to bless the family and to be a light in our city.

Heart Work: The Nature of Heart Work

Most people know Christians should read their Bible and pray, but “heart work” feels less familiar and less relevant. The truth is that heart work is about change and growth in our lives, which is something we think about all the time. In Ephesians 4, Paul gives us an overview of how we work on our hearts—how we change and grow—by showing us the gospel and our proper response. When we are born again, the Bible tells us that our old selves have died with Christ, and we have been recreated in God’s own likeness. Paul tells us we need to put off the lifestyle that belongs to our old self, put on the lifestyle that belongs to our new self, and all the while be cultivating renewal in our hearts.

Application Questions

1. Are there any areas of yourself that you feel are off limits to change? Think about your personality, attitudes, emotions, behaviors, and other parts of what makes you “you”: where are you living more like your “old self” than your “new self” in Christ?

2. What would it look like for you to live out your new identity in Christ in your daily life? What characteristics would you need to put on to make that a reality?

3. How can you put yourself in a position to be renewed in the spirit of your mind? What would it look like to cultivate renewal in your daily life?

4. What are some practical ways you can put off the old self, be renewed, and put on the new self this week?

Brian Colmery

Brian serves the church by overseeing preaching and Sunday morning services at Cornerstone.